File recording system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a file transfer system in which the image data photographed at a destination place by the user is easily transferred to a specific file server. Specifically, a memory card reader (reading means)  1  is controlled by a system controller  2.  A memory card  6  is a recording medium for saving an image data file. A modem  7  has a function of implementing the external communications with the memory card reader  1  employing a telephone line. In a specific recording area of the recording medium, the positional information indicating the position of any specific region on the file servers  16, 17, 18  is recorded, and when the recording medium is mounted on the reading means  1,  the reading means  1  reads the positional information and the file, and the file transfer means transfers the file read in the specific region on the file servers indicated by the positional information read by the reading means  1.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a file recording system, andmore particularly to a file recording system for transferring an imagefile recorded on a memory card to a file server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In recent years, the digital cameras have been widespread withgreat strides to excel the film cameras. In the digital cameras, theimage data photographed is temporarily stored in a memory card mountedin this camera, and the recorded image data is transferred to a massstorage device at any time, making the memory card reusable. In thisrespect, the digital cameras are superior to the film cameras whichemploy a non-reusable film. However, the film has an advantage that itis purchased relatively easily and cheaply at a destination place. Onthe other hand, the memory card has the shortcomings that it is notalways purchased anywhere easily, and is expensive.

[0003] Accordingly, the user of a digital camera needed to take someexcess memory cards when photographing many images during the trip.Also, when excess memory cards were used up, more images could not bephotographed.

[0004] Therefore, a camera has been proposed in which an image file istransferred to a file server by connecting a cellular telephone to thefile server, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-307794.Also, most Internet Providers provide a service for allowing the user toutilize a disk space with a certain amount of capacity on the fileserver. In the future, it is expected that there are increasing businessforms of lending out a part of the disk space on the file server.

[0005] However, when the image file was transferred via a network suchas the Internet to the file server, the user needed to enter a telephonenumber and an IP address in order to designate a file server providerand a storage area (directory) of the file server available to the user,and then transfer the transfer files sequentially, which took a verycomplex operation and was inconvenient.

[0006] On the other hand, a disk space lending dealer was difficult toobtain many users because the dealer request a user complicatedoperations as described above, resulting in a problem of interferingwith the business.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention has been achieved in the light of theabove-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the invention toprovide a file recording system in which the image data photographed ata destination place by the user can be easily transferred to a specificfile server.

[0008] According to the invention, there is provided a file recordingsystem comprising reading means for reading out a file and thepositional information of a file transfer destination from a removablerecording medium storing the file and the positional information, andfile transfer means for transferring the file read by the reading meansto a specific region on a server specified by the read positionalinformation.

[0009] According to the invention, there is provided an informationstorage medium for storing a file, comprising a file storage area forstoring the acquired file, and a server address information storage areafor storing the address information of a specific region on apredetermined server, the address information being used to transfer thefile stored in the storage area to the server and store the file in thespecific region on the server, wherein the file is transferred to thespecific region of the server specified by the address information, whenread by a reader.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a file recording systemaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of transferringan image file to the file server in a memory card reader;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a view showing a display example of a transfer menu atdefault;

[0014]FIG. 4 is a view showing a display example of a file selectionmenu;

[0015]FIG. 5 is a view showing a display example of a confirmationscreen for starting the file transfer;

[0016]FIG. 6 is a view showing a display example of a confirmationscreen for starting the file deletion; and

[0017]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first use example of this filerecording system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a file recording systemaccording to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1,reference numeral 1 denotes a memory card reader. The memory card reader1 is controlled by a system controller 2 (such as CPU). The systemcontroller 2 executes a control program written in a ROM 3 to controlthe memory card reader 1. A group of switches 4 includes an operationswitch for use to issue a transfer start instruction.

[0019] A memory card slot 5 serves to insert a memory card 6 with thememory card reader 1. The memory card 6 is a recording medium for savingan image data file. A modem 7 has a function of implementing theexternal communications with the memory card reader 1 employing atelephone line. A connector 8 is used to connect the modem 7 with theexternal telephone line. A LAN (Local Area Network) interface 9 is theinterface for connecting the memory card reader 1 with a network trunkline.

[0020] This interface may be also employed when connecting to thenetwork equipment installed at KIOSK such as a convenience store. Adisplay 10 displays a photographed image or a menu screen to the user. ARAM 11 temporarily stores the data.

[0021] The memory card reader 1 is installed within a housing of apublic telephone 12, and a connection between the memory card reader 1and the public telephone 12 is made through a modular cable 13. A CF(Compact Flash) card, for example, which is one of the memory cards 6,is inserted into or extracted from the memory card slot 5, whereby theuser inserts or extracts the CF card into or from the front side of apublic telephone set.

[0022]FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of transferring animage file to a file server in the memory card reader.

[0023] First of all, if the user inserts a CF card into the memory cardslot 5, the system controller 2 is interrupted upon an interrupt signal,not shown, and reads an interrupt handler from the ROM 3 and executesit. The interrupt handler detects an insertion of the CF card, andinitiates a file transfer application stored in the ROM 3.

[0024] At step S101 of FIG. 2, the file transfer application starts aprocess. After starting the process, the file transfer application readsa location of the file server 16, 17, 18 that is a file transferdestination from a predetermined area of the CF card at step S102. Thisarea is preferably out of the control of the normal file system, and maybe an attribute memory area (CIS), for example.

[0025] In this manner, the location of the file server 16, 17, 18 may bewritten at the time of shipment from the factory (before the memory cardis manufactured and shipped to the seller) or at the time of sales tothe customer in the shop front (before the seller sells the card to thecustomer) and inhibited from rewriting after the customer gets it.

[0026] The location of the file server 16, 17, 18 is represented by thecombination of a telephone number and a URL (address information towhich the file is stored), for example. This URL is different for eachCF card, and after the file stored in the card is transferred to theserver, the user gains access to the server employing the URL and viewsthe transferred file. Also, to gain access to the URL, the user may beprompted to enter a password and a PIN code at the time of access forthe security.

[0027] At step S103, the file transfer application displays the locationinformation of the file server 16, 17, 18 read at step S102 on thedisplay 10, and a default transfer menu as shown in FIG. 3. This defaulttransfer menu asks the user whether or not to delete all the fileswithin the CF card after transferring all the files within the CF card.

[0028] The user answers Yes or No, employing the group of switches 4. Atstep S104, the file transfer application reads an input of the user, andif the input is Yes, the file transfer is immediately started at stepS105. Firstly, the modem 7 is controlled to make a call at the telephonenumber read at step S102 (access point 14 of the disk space lender), andconnect to a network 15 of the disk space lending dealer in accordancewith the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) andthe PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol).

[0029] The file servers 16, 17 and 18 reside on the network 15. Amongthese file servers 16, 17 and 18, the file is transferred to thedirectory (file server 17 in this example) corresponding to the URL readat step S102 (step S106).

[0030] At step S107, the file transfer application confirms that thefile server 16, 17, 18 has surely received the file. Furthermore, atstep S108, all the files within the CF card are deleted. If a success ofthe file transfer is not confirmed at step S107, the procedure returnsto step S106 again to restart the file transfer. If the success of thefile transfer is confirmed, the network 15 is disconnected at step S109,and the execution of the program is ended (step S110).

[0031] If the user input read at step S104 is No, a file selection menuis displayed on the display 10 at step S111 as shown in FIG. 4. The userdesignates a file to be transferred from the displayed thumbnail imagesby operating the group of switches 4. Herein, it is supposed that fouractual files Img0001.jpg, Img0002.jpg, Img0003.jpg and Img0004.jpgexist, including the image generated by photographing within the CFcard.

[0032] Also, it is supposed that the user selects three filesImg0001.jpg, Img0002.jpg and Img0003.jpg as the transferred files. Theselected thumbnail image flashes on and off in blue.

[0033] After selection of the file, the file transfer applicationdisplays a confirmation screen of starting the file transfer on thedisplay 10 at step S112, as shown in FIG. 5, whereby the user instructsthe start of transferring the file by operating the group of switches 4.The file transfer application reads an indication input from the user.If the input is Yes, connection to the network 15 is made at step S113,and the transfer of the selected file is started at step S114. If theinput is No, the procedure returns to step S111.

[0034] At step S115, the file transfer application confirms that thefile server 16, 17, 18 has surely received the file. Subsequently atstep S116, the file transfer application asks the user whether or not todelete the transferred file from the CF card on a confirmation screen,as shown in FIG. 6. When a delete instruction is received, thetransferred file is deleted at step S117, the network 15 is disconnectedat step S118 and the application is ended (step S110). If thetransferred file is not deleted, immediately the network is disconnectedand the application is ended (step S110).

[0035] At step S115, if the success of file transfer is not confirmed,the procedure returns to step S114 again to restart the file transfer.

Other Embodiments

[0036] While in the above embodiment, a dial-up connection to thenetwork 15 is made by employing the modem 7 of the memory card reader 1,the connection to the network 15 of the disk space lending dealer may bemade via the LAN interface 9 over the Internet.

[0037] Also, while in the above embodiment, the CF card is employed asthe memory card, other memory cards may be employed.

[0038] Also, while in the above embodiment, a file transfer applicationis stored in the ROM 3, it may be stored in other storage devices (e.g.,hard disk), or downloaded via the network from other devices. Also, thefile transfer application may be stored in the memory card 6.

Use Example of the File Recording System in the Embodiment

[0039]FIG. 7 is a view showing a first use example of this filerecording system.

[0040] First of all, a recording medium producer 21 delivers a recordingmedium at the price A to a recording medium seller 22. The recordingmedium seller 22 registers file transfer destination data in therecording medium at the time of shipment from the factory, and sells therecording medium at the price A plus a profit B.

[0041] Then, the user 23 purchases the recording medium at the price Cfrom the recording medium seller 22. Herein, there is a relation A+B>C,whereby the recording medium seller 22 bears a price charge A+B−C atthis time. The recording medium seller 22 receives a sales promotioncost D from the disk space lending dealer 24 providing the registeredfile transfer destination data to compensate for the price charge.

[0042] Moreover, the user 23 pays a charge E for using the disk spacefor the disk space lending dealer 24, every time a file transfer serviceis employed. Accordingly, the allotment of the disk space lending dealeris equal to E−D.

[0043] By taking this use form, the user 23 can purchase the recordingmedium at the price C that is cheaper than the normal price A+B of therecording medium. The recording medium seller 22 can increase the amountof sales while securing the profit per medium equivalent to that whenselling the normal recording medium. The disk space lending dealer 24has the increasing number of users along with the increasing amount ofsales.

[0044] In a second use example of the file recording system, the diskspace lending dealer 24 pays a sales promotion cost D for the recordingmedium producer 21. The recording medium producer 21 registers the filetransfer destination data for the recording medium, and delivers therecording medium at the price A−D to the recording medium seller 22. Therecording medium seller 22 sells the recording medium at the price A−Dplus a profit B. The user 23 purchases the recording medium at the pricethat is cheaper than A+B, whereby there is the same effect as in thefirst use example.

[0045] In the first and second use examples of the file recordingsystem, the file transfer destination data is inhibited from rewritingby the user 23, and the sales promotion cost D of the disk space lendingdealer 24 is prevented from being incorrectly appropriated.

[0046] In a third use example of the file recording system, the diskspace lending dealer 24 directly delivers the file transfer destinationdata to the user 23, and the user 23 registers it in the recordingmedium by oneself. In this case, though an advantageous price is notobtained, the user is allowed to select a preferred one from a pluralityof disk space lending dealers 24. If the user is dissatisfied, the usermay change the dealer to lead to the higher availability.

[0047] As described above, with this invention, since the informationindicating a file server provider and a region on the file server isstored in advance in the recording medium, there is the effect that theuser can transfer the file very simply at a destination place.

[0048] Also, the disk space lender (the file server provider) canimprove the usage of transferring the file to easily gain the users anddevelop the business. Furthermore, since the price of the recordingmedium is shifted to the sales promotion cost by the file serverprovider, the user can purchase the recording medium cheaply, and therecording medium producer and the recording medium seller can sell agreater number of recording media.

[0049] As many apparently widely different embodiments of the presentinvention can be made without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to thespecific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A file recording system comprising: reading meansfor reading out a file and the positional information of a file transferdestination from a removable recording medium storing said file and saidpositional information; and file transfer means for transferring thefile read by said reading means to a specific region on a serverspecified by said read positional information.
 2. The file recordingsystem according to claim 1, wherein said positional informationrecorded on said recording medium is inhibited from rewriting.
 3. Thefile recording system according to claim 1, further comprising deletionmeans for deleting a file from the recording medium if the file iscorrectly transferred from said recording medium to said server.
 4. Thefile recording system according to claim 3, wherein all the filesrecorded on said recording medium are transferred to said server.
 5. Thefile recording system according to claim 1, further comprising selectionmeans for enabling the user to select a file transferred by said filetransfer means from among the files recorded on said recording medium.6. The file recording system according to claim 1, wherein said filerecording system further comprises a plurality of servers storing thefiles, in which said positional information indicates a specific regionon any one of said plurality of servers.
 7. The file recording systemaccording to claim 1, wherein said positional information recorded onsaid recording medium is different for each recording medium.
 8. Thefile recording system according to claim 1, wherein said positionalinformation is recorded on said recording medium before the shipment ofsaid memory card or selling it to the customer.
 9. A file transfermethod for transferring a file recorded on a recording medium via anetwork to a predetermined server, said method comprising: a step ofreading, from said recording medium, said file and the positionalinformation of a transfer destination of said file recorded on saidrecording medium; and a step of controlling to transfer said read fileto a specific region on a server specified by the read positionalinformation.
 10. The file transfer method according to claim 9, whereinsaid positional information recorded on said recording medium isinhibited from rewriting.
 11. The file transfer method according toclaim 9, further comprising a deletion step of deleting a file from therecording medium if the file is correctly transferred from saidrecording medium to said server.
 12. The file transfer method accordingto claim 9, wherein all the files recorded on said recording medium aretransferred to said server.
 13. The file transfer method according toclaim 9, further comprising a selection step of enabling the user toselect a file transferred at said file transfer step from among thefiles recorded on said recording medium.
 14. The file transfer methodaccording to claim 9, wherein said positional information indicates aspecific region on any one of said plurality of servers storing thefile.
 15. The file transfer method according to claim 9, wherein saidpositional information recorded on said recording medium is differentfor each recording medium.
 16. The file transfer method according toclaim 9, wherein said positional information is recorded on saidrecording medium before the shipment of said memory card or selling itto the customer.
 17. An information storage medium for storing a file,comprising: a file storage area for storing the acquired file; and aserver address information storage area for storing the addressinformation of a specific region on a predetermined server, said addressinformation being used to transfer said file stored in said storage areato said server and store said file in the specific region on saidserver; wherein said file is transferred to the specific region of saidserver specified by said address information, when read by a reader. 18.The information storage medium according to claim 17, wherein saidpositional information stored in said server address information storagearea is inhibited from rewriting.
 19. A computer executable program fortransferring a file recorded on an information storage medium via anetwork to a predetermined server, said program comprising a programcode for enabling a computer to perform: a process of reading, from saidinformation storage medium, said file and the positional information ofa transfer destination of said file stored in said information storagemedium; and a process of controlling to transfer said read file to aspecific region on a server specified by the read positionalinformation.
 20. A computer readable storage medium storing a computerprogram for transferring a file stored on an information storage mediumvia a network to a predetermined server, said computer programcomprising a program code for enabling a computer to perform: a processof reading, from said information storage medium, said file and thepositional information of a transfer destination of said file stored insaid information storage medium; and a process of controlling totransfer said read file to a specific region on a server specified bythe read positional information.
 21. A file recording system comprising:a reading unit configured to read out a file and the positionalinformation of a file transfer destination from a removable recordingmedium storing said file and said positional information; and a filetransfer unit configured to transfer the file read by said reading unitto a specific region on a server specified by said read positionalinformation.